Old Friends New Beginnings
by shinju-kun
Summary: Five years after the Smash Bros. Tournament, Marth has found himself aiding his descendant Krom in his struggles after being revived from a talisman. He meets friends new and old, including a past lover; but one person is not too happy that Marth could be taken away from him after forming such a strong bond.


As I sat alone in this lonely tent for the time being, I gently sighed once again at the untrue I held in my hand. My love, I had been far away from for so long, I don't think I'll ever see him again. This picture, along with the memories stored away were the only things I had left of him. The picture I had taken secretively; he was one the rare occasions I found him, lost in a book before him, his eyes scanning the pages and words before him. I took the chance to snap a picture of his face, which was oh so peaceful, until he heard the camera and grew embarrassed and tried to wrestle it away from me. I chuckled at the memory, tears daring to flood my vision.

"Who's that?"

The voice had caught me off-guard. Normally I'd be able to sense someone's presence if they were directly behind me, but it seemed this wasn't so. I glanced over and Celice had his chin over my shoulder, giving me a sweet smile.

...When...did...how long was he there...?

With a frown and regaining my ability to force the emotions back down, I was trying to put my picture away by folding it as I said, "No one," but it was too late. His curiosity had already been piqued.

"Aw, come on, Marth! Who is that? An old friend? A brother? Let me see!" he whined, reaching around me in an attempt to retrieve the photo. I only held it away, out of his reach.

"It's really none of your business, Celice..." I said, shaking my head, leaning forward the more he reached for it.

"But Marth you always look at that picture! I wanna see who it is at least! Is it someone I know?"

Like a child, he put all of his weight on my back as he reached for the folded parchment with no such luck.

"It's no one you would know, now leave me alone." With my free arm, I pushed it into his chest, trying to fend him off, but he wasn't going to quit so easily today.

"Aw, stop being mean, Marth! Let..me, see!" he lurched for it but I quickly brought it against my chest, hunched over as he had at least half of his weight on me...which was beginning to cause pain in my lower back...

"I said no, now leave me alone." I won't let anyone touch this photo, not even Celice, whom I trusted so much since I joined this army.

"Tch. Can you at least tell me who it is?" he asked, resting his chin on the back of my head.

I sighed. "If I do, will you leave me be?"

"Mnnn, maybe."

I rolled my eyes. "His name is Roy. He was an old friend of mine."

"See now was that so hard?" he chuckled, sliding off my back and seating himself next to me.

"With you, everything is hard," I teased, making him huff and look away in mock anger.

"He was everything to me," I said, looking down, making his attention divert back to me. "...and he was forced to leave one year... I, I haven't seen him sense."

Celice seemed to catch onto the inner turmoil and he leaned forward onto my lap, wrapping his arms around my waist and resting his chin on my shoulder. I had learned that Celice conveyed his feelings mostly through body language; it took a little getting used to, especially one time when I taught him how to catch fish and cook it, rather than awaiting a meal from our commanding officer, he wholeheartedly thanked me with a kiss to my mouth, of which embarrassed me. Now, it was rather comforting, and I wrapped an arm around him to return the gesture, swallowing another ball of emotion at the warmth that reminded me so much of him...

"Thank you..." I sighed and he nodded, giving me a loving squeeze.

"I know what'll cheer ya up, why don't we spar for a small while?" He asked, moving back to kneel before me.

"And that is supposed to help because...?" I inquired with a soft chuckle.

"Because I was told that exercise helps depression, plus most of the army is out on a small scouting mission today and its just that I'm bored. Now get your boots on and lets go!" he chirped, giving me a sweet smile before crawling out of the tent to stretch.

I chuckled and shook my head, but decided to join him, just for his sake. I opened the picture up once more before placing a quiet kiss on his cheek before folding it up and putting it away under my pillow.

~**~

The sun was beginning to set and over and over, I had been victorious with the sparring matches, much to Celice's disappointment.

"I can never seem to win against you! It's not fair!" he huffed, sheathing his sword with a pout.

"Practice makes perfect," I noted, sheathing my own as well and wiping the sweat from my forehead.

"Don't give me that! I've been practicing against just about everyone here and I always win, but with you-I don't know what it is! I keep losing!"

With that he began marching angrily back to camp, and I followed along, watching as his hair, which was always kept up in a high ponytail, swayed side to side. How can a warrior such as him have such long hair? I had always wondered but of course, I will not ask such things aloud, for he might be insulted for inquiring he was a girl. I smiled and shook my head, remembering the times where a man in the army tried to charm him, but he seemed disgusted-probably because the man was fairly high in age-and proceeded to yell at the man for accusing him of being a woman. In fact, he was so loud, an enemy army easily found our position and attacked.

When we arrived back at camp, we seemed to have gained new allies, and Celice stood beside me to make small remarks about how "inexperienced" they looked. Perhaps it was because they were new recruits and it was odd for him to see new faces after a while. One of them particularly stood out to me, quite literally. A boy seemingly around the age of Celice and I with a mop of darkened red hair and equipped with much layers of clothing-maybe due to the cold weather-approached me and he stared up into my eyes for quite some time, which confused us both. Those eyes though, the sharp yet gentle look they had reminded me of him, and that shade of green was remarkably similar as well.

I didn't say anything to him but only stated at him before he gave me a saddened look and turned his back to us, walking away to join the commanding officer.

"Say, did you know him?" Celice asked quietly as we made our way back to our tent.

I shook my head lightly. Why did his face seem so familiar...? I know I had not seem that face around before, and yet he looked up at me with so much familiarity...

"He seemed to know you..." he noted, and I nodded, for I had noticed that as well.

Celice plopped stomach first onto the small mat, loudly yawning afterwards. I decided to seat myself next to him. "I'm so hungry...but I don't feel like hunting tonight...and I don't think Krom has much food for everyone tonight..."

I rolled my eyes at the hidden request underneath those words. "I will only catch dinner for myself tonight, you must fend for yourself."

He laid there for a moment before rising and shifting all of his weight to my lap like before, hugging my waist tightly. "But Ma-arth! I'm so hungry! You know how hungry I get after I spar! Please go get food tonight for us!" he practically begged, burying his face into my shoulder.

I sighed and shook my head. This consistent whining for what he wants always won me over, simply because he purposely made his voice rise a few octaves to sound just a bit childish, and he would continue to whine for me to do something for him until I agreed to do so.

Not tonight. I will not give in.

"No, Celice," I said rather sternly, sighing.

"Please, please, please!"

"Hey, Celice, it's alright, there's enough food to go around tonight, why don't you come have some? We got it at a nearby village and it was already cooked."

The sound of Krom's voice eased my heart. Perhaps Celice was being just a bit too loud again.

"Sweet, food!" he cheered, bounding out of the tent.

Night had fallen upon us and I lay on my side of the tent with my arms folded behind my head, alone as Celice was out by the river bathing. It was always peaceful these types of nights when the whole army seemed just a bit too exhausted and turned in early. No sound but the river in the distance could be heard, and it eased my heart, and often lulled me to sleep. Tonight its effects seemed to pass over my body as I was wide awake, the thought of seeing that boy today lingering. Did I know him? I have a good memory, so I would have recognized him, but for some reason, only those eyes and that hair seemed familiar. Why was that?

My attention was diverted towards the mouth of our tent when the flap had opened, and at first I thought it was Celice, but I was surprised to see that boy from earlier standing there.

I said nothing to him but he granted himself permission to enter my tent, crawling over to me, and over me, straddling my waist.

"H-hey...!" I gasped, trying to sit up and push him off but he was strong, and he held me in place, pinning my arms down beside my head. "S-stop! What are you-"

I was cut off when he forced his lips against mine to quiet me, and I froze. This...also felt familiar... He pulled away after a small moment and hovered over me, releasing my arms.

"I...I finally found you after so long," he whispered.

I blinked up at him, still confused. "Do I...know you from somewhere...?" I asked just as softly.

A hurt expression came across his face and he reached into his pocket, pulling out a small crumpled paper, opening it up to show a picture of myself.

It finally dawned on me who this was.

"Roy...?"

He smiled and nodded, his hair bouncing. I felt the all-too familiar tears at ain't my eyes and I leaned up as best as I could to hug his neck. "Roy...Roy...oh, Roy..." I heard myself whispering, allowing myself to relieve my blurry vision. He moved so I could fully sit up and he nuzzled into my neck, wrapping his arms around my waist tightly and comfortingly. "You're really here..." I said, holding him tightly against me.

He gave a small chuckle and said, "Considering you didn't even recognize me."

I leaned back on my arm and tilted his chin up to look at him. He had certainly matured; he looked like a man now whereas he looked like a boy when I last saw him.

"Well, when I knew you, you had such a baby face," I chuckled, cupping his cheek and gently pinching and stretching it.

He huffed and turned to bite my arm playfully, making me automatically gasp and push his face away. Roy then proceeded to stretch both of my cheeks as revenge, making me whimper in pain. I grabbed his wrists and put them in my lap, resting my forehead against his. "It's been four years, so of course I'm going to change..." he pouted, looking up at me like a child. I chuckled and placed a gentle kiss against his mouth.

"I know, but you look older than me is what I'm trying to say."

"Is that bad?" he asked, freeing his arms to rest them around my shoulders.

"I don't think so. You're not as cute anymore," he gave me a hurt look and was going to move away from me but I held him against me. "You're sexier now."

His face turned a light pink and to hide it he kissed me, squeezing his eyes shut. I couldn't help but kiss him back, smiling to myself. I pulled away when I heard footsteps and that meant Celice had returned. Roy moved to lay down next to me and pulled the blanket over his body as Celice opened the flap to the tent, giving a delighted sigh as he entered.

"I feel wonderful now!" he said, plopping down on his side of the tent, hit he noticed I was a bit closer than usual.

"Hey, this is my side, get in your own side!" he whined, pushing on my shoulder.

"I would if I could...but it seems we have a...visitor tonight."

"Where?" He sat up and looked around the tent but saw no one.

I removed the covers from Roy's face and Celice said, "Hey, you're that kid from today! What are you doing here, go back to your own tent! This is my and Marth's tent!"

"Celice shut up and go to sleep!"

I couldn't help but snicker as someone yelled at us from the other side of camp.

"No you shut up!" he retorted, punching me in the shoulder.

"Actually, Celice, this is Roy, the one in the picture. He's just a bit grown up now."

He perked an eyebrow at me. "So what does that have to do with him being in our tent?"

"Because I'm sleeping here tonight whether you like it or not!" Roy huffed, laying across my lap.

"No way" Celice hissed, "Marth is supposed to keep ME warm tonight, and he's MY tent buddy!"

"Well he's MY boyfriend."

"Tch, I don't care if you're married or not! This is not your-"

Before he could be reprimanded again I pounded on his and Roy's head, causing both of them to whimper and hold their heads in pain.

"Both of you stop arguing unless you want Krom to come here and make both of you sleep in the cold tonight. You are not children, so stop acting like so if you want me to sleep with Ike tonight!"

"But Marth-"

Before either of them could start whining I slapped a hand over both of their mouths. "I don't want to hear it. It's late and there's enough room for all of us to sleep here. Understand?"

They both nodded and I sighed, settling in between both of them, sighing again as they clung to my sides and the tension in the tent rose tenfold.

'This is going to be a long night...' I thought with a soft groan.

~*Owari*~


End file.
